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Youngstown hires three companies to convert the city hall annex to the new municipal court building
YOUNGSTOWN
The board of control approved three major contracts to convert the city hall annex to the new municipal court.
Two other contracts, however – for electricity, and for heating, ventilation and air conditioning – need to go through a second bidding process because the original proposals exceeded the city’s estimates.
The city charter doesn’t permit officials to award a contract that is more expensive than the estimate.
The board Thursday approved a $3.34 million contract with Murphy Contracting Co. of Youngstown to be the project’s general contractor. Also approved were a $999,919 contract with W.T. Leone’s Tri-Area Electric Co. Inc. of Youngstown for electric work and a $164,953 contract for fire protection with Fire Foe Corp. of Girard.
The plumbing work was estimated at $305,000 with three proposals submitted April 5 ranging from $548,500 to $610,000. The HVAC estimate was $1,670,000 with four proposals turned in between $2,049,100 and $2,483,900.
The city is reworking those two projects and expects to start advertising for proposals no later than April 26, said Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works.
The project should be done on or about Sept. 1, 2017, Shasho said.
Municipal court would move from the second floor of city hall on Phelps Street to the annex at Front and Market streets. Judges have complained about the court condition for several years.
A deal was struck in June 2015 to move the court to the annex.
City Finance Director David Bozanich said the judges sought a new building a decade ago that would have cost $13 million to $14 million.
The annex rehabilitation project is estimated to cost $7.4 million to $7.7 million.
Also, the board agreed to have the city pay a $20,415 fine to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and spend up to $120,000 in improvements to the wastewater-treatment plant.
That settles a violation for a leak of about 500 gallons of liquid chlorine at the plant May 4, 2015. The EPA originally ordered the city to pay a $288,000 fine for the leak.
The plant improvements will expand the chlorine- and sulfur dioxide-detection system, and install fiber-optic cables for an alarm system to alert those inside when an emergency happens.
The board also officially rejected three proposals from companies wanting to handle the city’s residential garbage collection.
The city will spend about $2.2 million annually to run its garbage program, Bozanich said.
The city is currently spending $2.3 million a year for Waste Management Inc. for its residential garbage collection, but the company’s contract ends April 30.
Based on the proposals, having a private hauler take care of the city’s residential garbage collection would have jumped to $2.8 million to $3.1 million.